Spiral-drive, slidable side jaw wrench



J1me 1957 G. F. SCHLOTE SPIRAL-DRIVE, SLIDABLE SIDE JAW WRENCH Filed Sept. 28, 1956 MIMM HMN Nu YwQ uh b -N a. MN

INVENTOR 0/1 Z0 2 e Patented June 18, 1957 SPIRAL-DRIVE, SLIDABLE SIDE JAW WRENCH Guido Fred Schlote, Dallas, Tex. Application September 28, 1956, Serial No. 612,708 6 Claims. (Cl. 81-465) This invention relates to an improved construction of quickly adjustable sliding jaw end wrench and has for a primary object to provide an end wrench of simplified constructiongreatly facilitating the accurate and efficient assembly of the movable parts of the Wrench in the wrench body.

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved construction of wrench body, composed of the wrench head and handle, in which all but one of the moving parts of the wrench are contained and by means of which the construction of the head and handle is materially simplified.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wrench which can be much more readily assembled and disassembled and wherein the moving parts of the wrench can be readily exposed by removal of a single cover plate.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of the wrench;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged cross sectional views through the handle of the wrench, taken substantially along planes as indicated by the lines 44 and 5-5, respectively, of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken through the head of the wrench, substantially along a plane as indicated bythe line 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is an enlarged view partly in longitudinal section and partly in elevation and broken away, showing in detail the connection of certain of the elements;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view, partly in elevation, illustrating in detail the connection between certain of the parts of the wrench, and

Figure 9 is a plan view of one element of the wrench.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the novel wrench in its entirety is designated generally 10 and includes a wrench body designated generally 11 and comprising an elongated handle 12 and a head 13, which forms an integral extension of one end of the handle. The wrench body 11 is of substantial thickness and has a channel 14 of substantial depth formed in the handle 12 and extending substantially from end-to-end thereof and which opens outwardly of a side 15 of the wrench body 11. The wrench head 13 is provided with an elongated channel 16 which also opens outwardly of the side 15, and one end of the channel 14 opens into a side of the channel 16, near an end of said channel 16, as seen in Figure 1. The side 15 of the wrench body 11 is provided with a slight depression or step 17 which substantially surrounds the channels 14 and 16.

The step or depression 17 provides a seat for the edge portion of a cover plate 18 which overlies and completely covers the channels 14 and 16, as best illustrated in Figure 1. As seen in Figures 1 and 2, a rivet 19 is secured in the handle 12 and is disposed in the end of the channel 14 located remote from the head 13. Said rivet 19 has a head 21) at one end thereof the flat upper side of which is disposed substantially flush with the side or face 15 of the wrench body 11 and which head 20 has a beveled or tapered underside. One end of the cover plate 18 is recessed and beveled, as seen at 21 in Figures 1 and 2, to fit flush against the underside of the rivet head 20 for connecting the cover plate end to the rivet 19 and thus to the outer end of the handle 12. The recessed or stepped surface 17 includes a part 22 formed in the head 13 and which is substantially wider than the remainder of said surface 17. A screw 23 extends through a part of the cover plate 18 which rests on the surface 22 and is threaded in and detachably anchored to the head 13. The cover plate 18 is provided with a straight slot 24 one end of which is disposed adjacent the part of the cover plate which overlies the channel 16 and the other end of which opens into the recess 21, as best seen in Figure 2.

The outer edge of the head 13 is recessed as seen at 25 to form a stationary jaw 26 which is disposed remote from and at substantially an oblique angle to the axis of the handle 12 and which constitutes an integral part of the head 13. The head 13 is provided with a recess 27, as seen in Figures 2 and-6, which extends parallel to and communicates with the channel 16 and a portion of which opens through the recess 25.

A movable jaw 28 has a shank 29 which slidably engages in the guide recess 27 and which is limited thereby to sliding movement in directions lengthwise only of said guide recess. The shank 29 has a restricted inner side edge portion provided with teeth 30 which extend into the channel 16.

A worm 31 is loosely disposed in the channel 16 and has a stepped extension at one end thereof including an inner shaft portion 32 and an outer stem portion 33 of smaller diameter than the shaft portion 32. The head 13 has abearing recess 34, asseen in'Figure 3, which opens into the end of the channel 16, located adjacent the channel 14, and in which the stem 33 is journaled to provide a journal for one end of the Worm 31. The shaft portion 32 is ribbed or splined and has a pinion 35 mounted non-turnably thereon. The core of the worm 31 is provided with a bearing recess 36 opening outwardly of the other end thereof and which is disposed in alignment withthe stem 33. A setscrew 37 is threaded into a threaded bore 38. The bore 38 is formed in the head 13 and opens outwardly thereof and into the other end of the channel 16. The setscrew 37 has an inwardly extending stem 39 which extends into the recess 36 to provide an end journal for the worm 31.

The teeth 30 mesh with the worm 31, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, so that when the worm 31 is revolved the shank 29 and the movable jaw 28 will move longitudinally with respect to the guide'recess 27 and channel 16, so that the jaw 28 which is disposed in opposed relation to the stationary jaw 26 will be moved either toward or away from said jaw 26, for adjusting the opening between the wrench jaws.

A bearing 40 is detachably mounted in the inner end of the channel 14 and has ribs 41 engaging grooves 42 of the channel 14 to retain the bearing 40 against longitudinal sliding movement relative to the wrench body 11 and permitting-said bearing 40 to be lifted out of the channel 14.-

A stem 43 is-journaled in the bearing 40 and has an enlarged end which is cut to form a crown gear 44. The

gear 44 extends from the bearing 40 into the channel 16 and meshes with the pinion 35, as seen in Figures 1 and 2.

An actuator shaft, designated generally 45, is formed from a strip of metal which is twisted to provide a helix. Said actuator shaft or torque imparting means 45 is provided with a substantially straight and flat end portion 46 which fits a slot 47 which opens outwardly of the other end of the stem 43, as best seen in Figure 7. Said straight portion 46 has a restricted extension 48 at its outer end which fits into a central bore 49 of the stem 43. The stem 43 is provided with an annular groove 50 in the slotted end thereof and which is disposed beyond the other inner end of the bearing 40 to receive a spring clip 51, illustrated in detail in Figure 9, to assist in maintaining the shaft end 46 properly connected to the stem 43. The torque transmitting shaft 45 is provided with a stem or extension 52 at its opposite end of circular cross section, as seen in Figures 2 and 8, which is journaled in a bearing portion 53 of the rivet 19. r

A shaft actuating slide 54 includes a button 55 which engages on the outer side of the cover 18 and which has a longitudinally disposed rib 56 on the underside thereof which fits slidably in the slot 24. A bar portion 57, having a transverse width greater than that of the rib 56 and slot 24, extends downwardly from said rib and is provided with an opening 58 through which a part of the helical shaft 45 extends and which is shaped to fit said shaft so that the bar 57 forms a nut to turn the shaft 45 when the shaft actuating slide 54 is moved longitudinally of the handle 12.

The handle 12 may be provided with a lip 59 at its outer end having an opening 60, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, by means of which the wrench may be hung up when not in use.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that a thumb may be placed against the button 55 for moving the shaft actuating slide 54 longitudinally of the handle 12 and cover 18. When the shaft actuator 54 is moved toward the head 13 the helical shaft or torque imparting means 45 will be rotated in a direction to turn the gear 44, pinion 35 and worm 31 in a direction to move the jaw 28 toward the jaw 26. Similarly, when the actuator 54 is moved in the opposite direction the parts rotated thereby will be turned in the opposite direction to move the jaw 28 away from the jaw 26.

From the foregoing it Will be apparent that while the manner of operation of the wrench 10 as previously described is not unique, the construction thereof is extremely novel and produces a wrench which may be very economically manufactured and which can be readily dismantled for replacement of parts. By the simple expedient of removing the screw 23, the end of the cover plate 18 overlying the channel 16 can be lifted slightly and the cover 18 'can then be withdrawn from right to left as seen in Figure 1 to disengage it from the slide 54 for exposing all parts of the wrench 10. The shaft 45 possesses sutficient resiliency so that the bearing 40 can then be removed from the channel 14 together with said shaft, stem 43 and crown gear 44. The screw 37 can then be removed permitting removal of all of the parts contained in the head 13.

Certain of the parts such as the bearing 40, pinion 35 and shaft actuating slide 54 may be formed of nylon.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may be resorted to, without departing from the function or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with an end wrench including a head and handle, said head having a stationary jaw, a sliding jaw having a toothed shank slidably mounted in said head, a worm having a thread meshing with said toothed shank, a pinion fixed to a part of the worm, a gear meshing with said pinion, a helical shaft connected to said gear, and a slide movable longitudinally of said handle and having a portion engaging apart of the helical shaft for turning the shaft and the gear connected thereto when said slide is moved longitudinally of the shaft; a wrench body comprising an elongated portion forming said handle and having an enlarged end forming the head, said wrench body having a substantially fiat side, said handle having a channel extending substantially from end-to-end thereof and opening outwardly of said flat side, said head having an elongated channel opening outwardly of said flat side and disposed at an angle to the channel of the handle and communicating therewith, means journaling said worm in the channel of the head, a bearing detachably mounted in the handle channel journaling and supporting the gear in meshing engagement with the pinion and providing a support and journal for the end of the helical shaft which is connected to said gear, a second bearing mounted in the end of the handle channel disposed remote from said head in which the other end of the helical shaft is journaled, and a cover plate overlying and covering said channels and having a longitudinally extending slot disposed in the portion thereof overlying the handle channel and opening outwardly of the end of the plate which is disposed remote from said head, said slide including a part slidably engaging the slot and a button disposed externally of the plate.

2. In an end wrench as in claim 1, said flat side being recessed around said channels to provide a seat for the edge portion of the cover plate and for positioning the outer side of the cover plate substantially flush with said flat side of the wrench body.

3. In a wrench as in claim 2, said second bearing having a head including an outer side disposed substantially flush with said fiat side of the wrench body and a beveled underside, said cover plate being recessed at the open end of said slot for conformable engagement with the underside of the bearing head for detachably connecting said cover plate end to the handle, and a screw fastening extending through a part of the cover plate and anchored in said wrench head for detachably securing that end portion of .the cover plate to the wrench head.

4. An end wrench as in claim 1, rib and groove means connecting the first mentioned bearing to the handle for retaining said bearing against displacement longitudinally of the handle and permitting said bearing to be applied to and removed from the handle channel when said cover plate is removed.

5. An end wrench as in claim 1, said means journaling the worm including a journal element detachably mounted in the wrench head and removable therefrom to release the worm for removal from the channel of the head when the cover plate is removed.

6. An end wrench comprising a wrench body including an elongated handle and a head formed integral with one end of said handle and recessed to provide a stationary jaw, a sliding jaw reciprocably supported by said wrench head for movement toward and away from the stationary jaw, said wrench body having a substantially flat side and having channels formed therein and opening outwardly of said flat side, one of said channels being formed in the head and the other channel being formed in said handle and disposed at an angle to the channel of the head and having an end communicating with the head channel, said channels being adapted to accommodate therein mechanism connected to said movable jaw and operable for moving said movable jaw toward and away from the stationary jaw, a cover plate detachably connected to said wrench body and covering the channels thereof, said cover plate having an elongated slot in the part thereof overlying the handle channel and in which a slide is adapted to be supported in engagement with a part of the movable jaw actuating mechanism for imparting torque to said mechanism.

No references cited. 

